Song of Solomon 4:1 “Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair…” Thus Solomon begins a sonnet of high praise for his bride’s many-faceted beauties. This praise is not to make her proud, but to encourage her, so that she will see in herself the beauties bestowed on her by her gracious Creator. The husband’s delight in his wife’s beauty is natural and good, just as our Lord looked upon all his creation, “and, behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). Don’t be afraid to drink in your wife’s attractiveness and allow yourself to overflow in praises for her. It won’t make her proud; it will make her secure and happy.
“Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair…” What does our Lord see in us? The first sonnet is a sevenfold description of those who have totally abandoned themselves to Christ’s love. Just as in the references given to the “seven” churches and “seven” spirits of Revelation 1:4, the number seven speaks of heavenly completeness and perfection. The bride, like the Bride of Christ, was in everything “enriched by him” so that she was lacking in “no gift” (I Corinthians 1:4-7). As the bridegroom beholds her, he declares that she is altogether lovely and completely desirable to him. The repetition of the exclamation seems to double the strength of his judgment. It’s as if he says, “I see you, and you are beautiful—exquisitely beautiful!”
In chapter three, the bride describes her husband’s cavalcade coming to receive her and then focuses in on the details, exulting at last in her kingly husband. In chapter four, the bridegroom beholds his bride in her entirety, then focuses in on the individual features which especially delight him. Let’s consider the sevenfold beauties found in the one in whom our Lord delights.
Song of Solomon 4:1 “Thou hast dove’s eyes within thy locks.” Dove’s eyes…what are they like? It’s not the color that’s attractive—God has made beautiful eyes in a myriad of shades—but it is the quality of expression found in the eyes. 
Matthew 10:10 says to be as harmless as doves. The eyes of the bride, abandoned to her bridegroom, glow with an unassuming ardor that shows no trace of shadow. Her eyes are clear and guileless, soft and tender, warm and inviting. Melting eyes. Shining eyes. Open eyes. 
It is said that the eyes are the gateway of the heart and a sure indication of the soul’s state. As Adam and Eve hid from God in the garden, so a man or woman will not meet the intense gaze of someone whom they have offended or with whom they feel no desire for fellowship. Broken communion is first experienced by the look in the eye. 
On the other hand, love is the purest desire of the heart, and it can be seen in the eyes of the loved one. Eyes express love, pity, compassion, joy, peace, desire… 
all the emotions of the heart come flooding out the eye gate, and those who would hide their feelings hide their eyes. Eyes speak volumes that lips sometimes cannot voice. 
In Luke 11:34 we are told that, “The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.” Dove’s eyes are single eyes, harmless eyes, eyes that are full of light and love and grace with no trace of darkness. Without hypocrisy, without guilt, without shame, without fear. These are the eyes of the beloved bride, as she beholds her glorious bridegroom and reflects his radiance. She is like the full moon glowing with irresistible beauty and romance. Wouldn’t you love to have eyes like that—no barriers or burdens, just pure, uninterrupted love and desire? “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). If we truly want unbroken communion with God and our spouses, I believe the first step is in developing a pure heart. How do we do that? “Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently” (1 Peter 1:22). I think it starts by obeying the Truth…consistently…not just when we want to, but all the time. 
Summer Setting 